Ferenc Fricsay

Ferenc Fricsay - The Mozart Radio Broadcasts

Discovered in the archives of Deutschlandfunk Kultur and now newly remastered, these remarkable recordings, unheard since the 1950's, tell two powerful stories: that of a war-ravaged Berlin where, amidst the rubble and hunger, audiences nonetheless queued to listen to orchestral music; and that of a conductor whose fastidious musicianship and personal warmth – both cut short by his early death – played such a pivotal role in rebuilding musical life in Berlin and paved the way for Mozart conducting for years to come. Both stories are powerfully relayed in this beautifully presented 4-CD hardback edition with a compelling essay on Fricsay and post-war Berlin. Mozart and Fricsay had an exceptional relationship: indeed he used these radio broadcasts to ‘lay the foundations for a better understanding of the greatest musical thinker ever to have lived.’